Ella must obey any order. Imagine that!

Imagine that you must do whatever your parents and friends ask you to do, no matter what. This is Ella’s fate in Gail Levine’s classic re-telling of Cinderella. At birth, Ella is “blessed” by Lucinda the fairy with the gift of obedience. That is, she must obey any order given to her by anybody. When her mother dies and her father remarries, her step mother and step sisters discover her compulsion to be obedient and use it to their advantage. Ella’s wit and charm win the heart of Prince Char. Unfortunately, her gifts also earn the jealousy of her step sister Hattie. When her father leaves town, her step-family commands her to become a servant, scrubbing floors and cooking. Ella finds herself falling for Char but worries that if he marries her she would endanger Frell. After all, any enemy could use her compulsive obedience to gather state secrets or to kill the royal family. Will Ella end up with her Prince charming? Or will she choose to save him by staying away?


Levine was awarded a Newbery Honor for this humorous, fractured fairy tale. Her heroine is a strong female lead that is appealing to young girls. Magical elements abound to satisfy fantasy fans including magic, elves, ogres, giants and a fairy book that allows Ella to read others’ correspondence. The plot is similar to the original Cinderella with updates to make it more appealing to modern readers. Though written over a decade ago, the story is still a popular choice among fans of fantasy and fairy tales. This title makes an excellent read-aloud chapter book, especially appropriate for classes studying fractured fairy tales. Grades 3-7.


Levine, Gail Carson. (1997). Ella Enchanted.  New York:  HarperCollins, 1997.
ISBN: 0060275111
Cover art link from ALIScat - a catalog of public libraries in Nassau County, New York.


Official Movie Website by Miramax:  Ella Enchanted